title: Biochemical evaluation of articular cartilage in patients with osteochondrosis dissecans by means of quantitative T2- and T2-mapping at 3T MRI: a feasibility study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To perform an in vivo evaluation comparing overlying articular cartilage in patients suffering from osteochondrosis dissecans (OCD) in the talocrural joint and healthy volunteers using quantitative T2 mapping at 3.0 T.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ten patients with OCD of Grade II or lower and 9 healthy age matched volunteers were examined at a 3.0 T whole body MR scanner using a flexible multi-element coil. In all investigated persons MRI included proton-density (PD)-FSE and 3D GRE (TrueFisp) sequences for morphological diagnosis and location of anatomical site and quantitative T2 and T2 maps. Region of interest (ROI) analysis was performed for the cartilage layer above the OCD and for a morphologically healthy graded cartilage layer. Mean T2 and T2 values were then statistically analysed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The cartilage layer of healthy volunteers showed mean T2 and T2 values of 29.4 ms (SD 4.9) and 11.8 ms (SD 2.7), respectively. In patients with OCD of grade I and II lesions mean T2 values were 40.9 ms (SD 6.6), 48.7 ms (SD 11.2) and mean T2 values were 16.1 ms (SD 3.2), 16.2 ms (SD 4.8). Therefore statistically significantly higher mean T2 and T2 values were found in patients suffering from OCD compared to healthy volunteers.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  T2 and T2 mapping can help assess the microstructural composition of cartilage overlying osteochondral lesions.
authors.affiliation: University of Vienna, Department of Radiology, MR-Centre of Excellence, Währinger Gürtel 18-20, A-1090 Wien, Austria. wolfgang.marik@meduniwien.ac.at
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Marik
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Apprich
authors.forename: G H
authors.initials: GH
authors.lastname: Welsch
authors.forename: T C
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Mamisch
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Trattnig
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis*; D002358:Cartilage, Articular / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods; D008875:Middle Aged; D055034:Osteochondrosis / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013628:Talus / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers